Psychiatrist studying link between cats, schizophrenia

[davidinalameda]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/health/sfl-1111cats,0,1225673.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines&track=mostemailedlink

I believe it--most cat owners aren't wound too tightly to begin with

Have I shown y'all pictures of my babies? :)

Dr. Fuller Torrey is studying whether a parasite in Fluffy's droppings causes schizophrenia, a mental illness that strikes 2.2 million Americans and is characterized by hallucinations, delusions and trouble regulating emotions.

The Washington-area psychiatrist has found that people with schizophrenia were more likely to have had pet cats as young children, or their mothers kept the animals during their pregnancies. Torrey is now testing antibiotics against the feline parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, to treat schizophrenia, according to an article in the December issue of Esquire.

"My wife thinks I'm probably ultimately going to be assassinated by (cat lovers)," Torrey told the New York Daily News. Still, "Not only cats, but virtually all animals carry transmissible agents, and some carry transmissible agents that have had profound implications for the human race."

[flamingyouth]

1. Interesting.

I'll be curious to see what he finds.

I know that pregnant women are not supposed to clean cat boxes due to the risk of Toxoplasma gondii.

[LisaL]

2. I wander what animal Dr. Torrey's mother had when she was

pregnant, cause he sure came out nuts. Nuts is probably not strong enough-he belongs in a loony bin. It's ridiculous to scare people based on a stupid speculation. Sounds similar to the old wives tale-cats suck the breath out of babies.

[purr]

5. I'm sick of hearing that wives tale.

I CONSTANTLY get asked and TOLD not to let my cats around my 3 month old because they'll smother him. That unleashes the bad purr in me.

As far as the cat droppings go, I wear gloves and gasp USE SOAP after! I had 3 kids and I changed the boxes when I was pregnant and never once worried about toxo. Its called being sanitary and clean.

Of course, I did have my hubby clean it, but he was very lazy when it came to the boxes and in turn my male cat started spraying when he wouldnt change the box so I had to do it.

[LaurenG]

13. I'm with you on this, plus

how many of our moms cleaned litter boxes while pregnant? I believe his study may be a load of cat sh**.

[Chan790]

6. There is actually probably some

validity to his theory on this.

This would not surprise me...a delayed effect of residual damage of an illness is hardly unprecedented in medicine and TG is brutal little bacteria that a fully-healthy human immune system handles well (on the other hand, be happy you've never seen what it does to the immunosuppressed.) with a known neurological effect and the ability to pass the blood barrier into the brain.

[LisaL]

9. Yes, I am sure it's valid. I am happy to know I can kill anyone now,

and get away with it, because my parents had cats when I was little.

[Loonman]

3. Toxoplasma gondii

Will give you a brain abcess.

Don't mess with cat shit, and wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning the box, as you normally would.

[bertha katzenengel]

4. I'm not a bit surprised.

Now: when i get home i have to feed the indoor kids as quickly as possible before Harry goes hoarse from crying for it, then i have to find (because they're working on our front porch) and feed the outdoor kids asap because it's cold out there and they need more food when it's cold, then i have to scoop all the boxes, then i have to vacuum the cat beds, then i have to wash the other cat beds . . .

[EFerrari]

7. Don't the numbers alone sort of deflate this?

I have anecdotal evidence that cats help stabilize schizophrenics. :)

[Chan790]

8. I think the question is

whether exposure to TG when one's immune system is not fully formed might lay the groundwork for schizoid conditions years later.

[EFerrari]

10. Ah. Gosh, I hope not. People can be incredibly stupid about

cleaning up after their animals.

[Jamastiene]

17. Mine keep me fairly stable, so you may be right.

[EFerrari]

22. They're little love bugs and tranqs.

It's so straight up. Doug gets this great look on his face when they come up to him for petting. I can't see my own face, but I can feel myself relaxing when I do the same.

:)

On edit: LOL! that doesn't say what I wanted it to say. Meant, when they come to me, their cat furniture, and make themselves at home.

[tigereye]

11. schizophrenia is extremely complex and has a lot of genetic

components.

I don't think the cats are going to be the main cause for it. Not based on any research I have read. I suppose it could be a contributing factor, but it sounds more like an artifact to me. Millions of women who kept cats when their kids are young, don't have children who develop schizophrenia.

[Jamastiene]

12. Ahem, ya mean the fact that I am the official crazy lady at

the end of the street with all the cats means I may be schizophrenic?. I already have two mental illnesses (I'm an avoidant and I have clinical depression.) Oh well, what's one more gonna hurt? Mmph. Now, where is my furry bag of marshmallows? The shrinks can deal with me later. :evilgrin:

[EFerrari]

23. LOL!

[smirkymonkey]

26. Is this you?

[CAcyclist]

14. Actually I doubt this will pan out

Cats that get toxoplasmosis usually only are infectious for a couple weeks after they get infected and then the protozoan encysts in the tissues. That's a very short window of opportunity for getting infected . Inside only cats will not get infected unless there are mice in the house.

The person is far more likely to get toxoplasmosis from handling or eating undercooked meat so he really needs to factor this into his study.

[Initech]

15. Quite interesting. But it wouldnt surprise me at all...

[Jamastiene]

19. I resemble that remark.

And what pray tell do you mean. Are you saying that we are nuts for liking cats. I know I am as crazy as a shithouse rat, but that doesn't mean you gotta pick on me. :sarcasm:

[Initech]

25. I'm not saying all cat owners are nuts.

But I do have some relatives who own multiple cats, and boy are they crazy...

[Reciprocity]

16. Hey I only started showing these symptoms....

( hallucinations, delusions and trouble regulating emotions) when * became the governor of Texas. So I think this so called Dr. should be investigating * instead of my beloved Wren.

[EFerrari]

18. I'm stumped. Fuller has done some good work.

:shrug:

[devilgrrl]

20. What a bunch of cat hating bullshit

Fine, I'll become mentally ill because of my cats. And here all this time I thought it was my parents.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

21. I resemble that remark!

Strongly.

No he doesn't. Ignore him. He's invisible anyway.

Yes, I do. And HE'S the invisible one.

Liar.

Chump.

Putz.

[blindpig]

24. Finally, an explanation!

:evilgrin: :hide: :evilgrin: